Shell handling versus VLS replenishment at sea

The final technical point shifts from barrel design to ammunition logistics. A modern missile can survive violent launch and high-speed flight yet remain vulnerable to the rough knocks involved in transfer between moving ships. Reloading that missile into a vertical-launch system at sea creates another demanding handling problem. Large conventional projectiles would be comparatively robust during the same replenishment process. Ammunition-handling characteristics therefore affect sustained combat power even when the missile is the more capable weapon after launch.